Thursday, December 31, 2009

December’s Big Question at the Learning Circuits blog is “What did you learn about learning in 2009”.

This year has been interesting and eventful for me. I have had many new things to learn and some things to unlearn. If I had to identify one key take-away, it would have to be my own learning about social learning and networking. I realized the power of this by joining twitter and building my own Personal Learning Environment (PLE). Twitter has opened a new platform for me where I am meeting with and interacting with people on all things learning using only a few words. Here, the quality of your conversations matter more than the number of words you use! I have also been more active on LinkedIn realizing its true value and potential in connecting me to groups and people who feel as passionately about learning as I do.

This year, I also got a good opportunity to reflect on things that I had learnt earlier. I studied some of the theories related to instructional design and learning and shared my views and the practical implications of the same. With every passing day, I valued learning and training even more and realized the 'present continuous' nature of learning. I blogged about applying models of learning, training evaluation, need for learning objectives, value of training, and the importance of reflection itself!

Last but not the least, after 10 years of a successful corporate career, I decided to start a new journey of my work as an independent learning consultant. It has been amazing so far. I have developed a deep relationship with my new clients and I hope to offer even greater value to my clients next year. I am excited, as I am sure there will be many interesting turns on this new path in 2010. This has been one of the big changes for me this year and I am sure it will continue to offer me a new platform for my learning in 2010!

I would like to thank my readers who continue to read and encourage me in my learning initiatives. I hope to build our relationship even stronger as we step into this New Year.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

One of the most popular models of training evaluation has been proposed by Donald Kirkpatrick. In simplified terms, as per this model, training can be evaluated at four levels - 1-Reaction, 2- Learning, 3- Behaviour, and 4-Results. Many training evaluation forms and feedback surveys have been designed based on this model. While levels - 1-Reaction and 2- Learning are relatively easier to measure, as we move along the higher levels of evaluation, things do get difficult. Recently, a fifth level is being suggested: 5-ROI (Return on Investment). ROI expects measurable results - dollar value, volumes, percentages, growth etc. All of this is good. However, increasingly, I see the focus of measurement and evaluation of training from the organizational perspective alienating the training and its evaluation from the learner's point of view. So, as a learner, how do I evaluate whether the training worked for me? Yes, sure I can give good feedback, pass the post-assessment with A's but does that mean I learnt and found the training useful enough to be applied on the job?

The way I look at it, as a learner, I need to perceive the training as a valuable input towards my professional/career growth. A way to evaluate the training intervention is to evaluate how far do I think the training can help me - my own perception of the value of training. For example, by what percentage do I think I can improve my performance after applying the training on the job? Another way to look at this could be a before/after perception of value. In a scenario, where an organization is bringing in new processes/changes, learners can be asked to evaluate the perceived value of the new process. After a suitable training intervention about the new processes, learners can be asked to re-evaluate the perceived value of the new processes to evaluate the training. If the organization is able to establish the value of the training and therefore, a higher perceived value of the new processes, half the job of applying the new processes by the learner community is done.

The ROI for me as a learner is whether the time spent on the training was a worthwhile investment in my career. It is the return of my own investment of time and energy spent on the training.

Yes, all this is not as measurable as the dollar value of reduced costs of operation after a successful training. However, identifying and evaluating the value of training from the learner's perspective will probably go a long way in establishing the real value of training.

Perception may be more subtle than a figure with multiple zeros, but its power is far greater. After all, perception is reality, they say!

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About Me

A Learning and Performance Consultant with 17 years of experience in the learning industry. Passionate about people and learning and seek opportunities to establish innovative and successful learning environments.